The Begotten
The Begotten refers to an order of demons originating from the Under-dimension, a time-space manifold located at an undisclosed coordinate plane adjacent to the Ninth Layer of Hell. They are lead by the Undergod. General Information History and Origins The Begotten armies are constantly fluctuating masses of unorganized lesser demons, far removed from the organized and strict regiments of Satan's Hell. It is believed that the Begotten entered the realm of Earth during the Suicide of God taking place during the Lost Generation, making strategic use of his death in order to subjugate commonly-accepted systems of faith. Due to the widely-accepted knowledge of god's death, with humans reporting disturbing visions, auditory hallucinations, and even televised broadcasts of the event, Begotten influence grew exponentially in a matter of days. The first space-time manifestations of Begotten demons took place approximately thirteen hours after the Suicide of God, with notable expansions occurring within the San Andreas Fault and the Marianas Trench. These divisions within Gaia soon expanded, as first contact occurred near the Californian fault line during an engagement between the royal guardsmen of the Empire of Light and the savage militias of the Empire of Family. Both armies were subsequently overwhelmed by the Begotten ranks, numerous human soldiers once confident in their proud demeanor soon torn to shreds as their organs cascaded into great mountainous regions, the very stench of rotten flesh protruding through the ozone layer. Full occupation of Earth occurred a week following first contact, first marked by the total destruction of the Empire of Light shortly before the downfall of the Empire of Family, both nations splintering into small defensive settlements slowly being engulfed by the hordes one-by-one. A majority of Human casualties occurred not by direct confrontation, but by suicide as ordered by authority figures of both empires. Those who retained sacrilegious beliefs spread the sermon of slow and painful suicide, often through the strategic slashing of blood passages vital for survival. Violent ritualistic behavior increased before the total downfall of human society, marked by a pivotal prevalence in child sacrifice. Physiology The Begotten demons are biomechanical organisms that begin their life cycle as organisms of a Nursery Hive. Nursery Hives are large oblique masses of flesh and Begotten larvae, appearing rather indistinct and even similar to humans in appearance. The metabolic requirements of these demons is great, requiring the establishment of these hives to be erected near magma pits or lava spurts in order to provide temperature control throughout the larvae. After the larvae gestate to a sufficient extent, a Greater Begotten Demon then uses a lengthy proboscis to inject a liquidized Belphagor catalyst into the mouths of these creatures, which triggers exponential growth and eventual separation from the main hive. Begotten demons then continue their life cycle in one of many forms, typically weaker humanoids; however, feared demons who strike fear into the hearts of wanderers will grow stronger in faith and may be granted unique abilities to further increase hunting capabilities. Begotten, just like the Demons of Hell, will live eternally unless killed. Tactics Begotten demons work in organized swarms, communicating through unknown paranormal energies. Prey who are sighted over long distances will be pursued without the need for rest or sustenance; their preferred method of killing is using hexed weaponry typically appearing to be crude hammers, however, other types have been noted (spiked maces, weaponized limbs, poison-tipped tongues, daggers, etc). Begotten suffer one key weakness; due to inherently poor motor coordination, their combat skills are greatly limited, relying on accuracy alone to send their hexed weapons into their targets. When Begotten strike, they sacrifice their mobility due to their poor footing, often giving their prey time to parry or make counter-attacks. These facts alone are absolutely vital in a Begotten-related situation. Faith Systems Begotten, unlike other faiths, do not require human worship to sustain their demonic energies; rather, they thrive on the lack of worship, consuming homogenized loss of hope throughout reality, the very fabric of despair without justice sustaining their lifeblood. The Undergod of the Begotten rarely accepts ritualism, except under unique circumstances. Those who pledge offerings to lesser Begotten demons do so foolishly and are invariably killed on-the-spot, regardless of their deeds committed to please the Undergod.